We all have felt at least once in our lives that there is an inner wisdom in us that directs us to better choices, but at the same time an inner impulse that often leads us astray. This inner wisdom is called intuition and its role is to warn us of impending danger and help us make reasonable decisions. It is something that pushes us to perceive truths and lies and protects us from all sorts of pitfalls, acting as a navigator (some argue that it is the voice of our guardian angel). But we do not always trust it. Maybe because it often does not coincide with common sense. But it is our mistake: Intuition is a personalized, valuable tool, only if one knows how to recognize it correctly and not confuse it with impulses and selfish desires.

How to distinguish the voice of intuition from a wrong impulse?

There are two ways that might help you discern if the inspiration you have is a premonition or a wrong impulse: If you happen to do a completely spontaneous choice, do not try to test the logic, but check how you feel: The right choice causes a feeling of joy and relief, while a wrong one causes tightness.

Intuition has the form of a flow of emotions, not thoughts (such as repulsion, feeling of danger, relief, sadness, joy, peace, restlessness), or a sudden inspiration.

What does the science say?

There are some people who act in accordance with their intuition, which is difficult for scientists to accept. So researchers at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Harvard tried to shed light on how the intuitive types think. They found that intuition is closely linked to religious faith, which means that faith in God may lead to intuitive thinking and vice versa.

Intuition = power

As Amitai Shenhav, who took part in the research, stated, being able to make quick, intuitive decisions can give you great power in everyday life. And the brain’s ability to ignore all available (logical) data in order to provide an automatic, intuitive response is excellent. How does the brain do it? Science does not know yet. However, as Einstein said: “The only real valuable thing is intuition.”

I’m a law student who is fond of reading and writing about interesting topics on science (especially cognitive science and psychology), technology, and different extraterrestrial and paranormal stuff. I’m passionate about movies, travelling and photography.

This article was originally published on Learning-Mind.com under the title “What Is Intuition and How to Learn to Hear Its Voice?

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